The Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ second annual Veteran Benefit Expo will be held Sept. 8 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, bringing together close to 100 federal, state and local providers of programs and services that benefit veterans and their families.

This free and unique event, open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., is the largest veteran benefit expo of its kind in the state of Oregon and is being hosted in Portland for the first time.

“The 2016 Veterans Benefit Expo is a one stop shop event for veterans and their families to learn about the full range of their earned benefits,” said Cameron Smith, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “This is an opportunity to connect with over 90 service providers under one roof. We are excited to host in Portland this year and continue to take this approach to communities across Oregon going forward.”

All veterans and active service members are invited to tap into valuable resources and connect with experts in the areas of veteran claims, education benefits, health care, business, employment, home loans, long-term care, mental health, recreation and more.

The 2015 Veteran Benefit Expo, which an estimated 500 people attended at the Salem Convention Center, was considered a huge success. And with a new venue and location, organizers hope this year’s event will be even bigger and better.

Free on-site parking for this event has been made available by the Rose Quarter, and all parts of the Expo will be ADA-accessible. For more information, visit www.expo.oregondva.com, or call 503-373-2389.

If you are unable to attend the Expo, assistance on a wide variety of services can be found at Veteran Service Offices across the state. A complete list is available on the ODVA’s website.